MY HERO!

Is there anyone here, other than me, who sometimes longs for the good old days? The days when you could get in and out of the grocery store in no time at all, because there were only two or three varieties of deodorant to choose from, two or three kinds of laundry soap, and everyone in your family used the same bottle of shampoo? I wrote here about my belief that having too many choices can sometimes be just as difficult as not having any at all.

It was bad enough when we only had to decide which product worked or tasted best. Then they managed to convince us that we were each such unique individuals, that there was no one shampoo or toothpaste or mouthwash that would work for an entire family. We had to find the one that was just right for each person's special needs. Then we had to worry about whether it was healthy for us, or contaminated, or humane, or ecologically sound, or sustainably produced, or, or, or...well crap. I give up! Can anybody help me?

But wait...what is this? I'm at the store, grocery shopping with my son. I have become stuck in front of a vast array of yogurt choices, unable to make up my mind. Suddenly he whips out his i-phone, thumbs begin moving at the speed of light, then he turns to me and says "You want the Silk vanilla yogurt." On the next aisle, I become bogged down once more, and again, the phone comes to my rescue. What in the world is going on here?

It seems my prayers have been answered, in the form of Good Guide. What started as a UC Berkley research project is now available to anyone who needs quick access to all the information necessary for making informed decisions. They have given items numerical ratings based on health, environmental and social performance, and stars for user preference. If you don't have an i-phone, like me, just peruse your shopping list before leaving the house, and check the ratings on-line of anything that's likely to cause you angst. Suddenly, shopping just got a whole lot easier!